This piece is an extract from this week's Forestry Latest News newsletter, which is emailed out at 4PM every Friday with a round-up of the week's top stories. 

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NO one seems to have a bad word to say about Gremo. 

In an industry that's all about opinions, that's a rarity, but events of the last week suggest a sector united in dismay at the loss of the only machines left to have once been clad in its famous green. 

When Eco Log announced earlier this month the 750F, 1050F and 1250F – all three now painted in the firm's yellow after a 2020 merger with Gremo – will no longer be produced from the end of the year, the outcry took everyone by surprise. Not least of all Eco Log, which, just days later, confirmed it was now working on several smaller forwarders to replace those being lost. 

Forestry Journal: Gremo previously had a range of harvesters Gremo previously had a range of harvesters (Image: FJ)

READ MORE: Eco Log looks to reintroduce smaller forwarders after 'Gremo range' outcry

That was quite the turnaround from the earlier release – published only in Swedish – that had unequivocally stated that demand was "not high enough" for Eco Log to make the investment needed to continue making forwarders like the ones getting the boot.  

A look at comments from across the forestry sector would suggest that position was at odds with the general feeling, and that the industry was in agreement on one thing: there's nothing quite like a Gremo. 

Messages on our social media included: 

"Sad to see this range of smaller forwarders being killed off due to low demand – this is exactly the type of machine estate managers need to carry out early thinning with low impact, tidy bits of blow and reach places off limits to big forwarders."

"Back to the old factory and back in green. 750F too good a machine for Eco Log to retire." 

Forestry Journal: The 'Yellow Gremos' will no longer be made from the end of the year The 'Yellow Gremos' will no longer be made from the end of the year (Image: Eco Log)

"Seems like an odd move when forestry is moving more towards early and more frequent thinning treatments. Never has the need for innovative lightweight equipment been more important."

READ MORE: 'Yellow Gremos' given reprieve after outcry forces Eco Log into action

"The irony being that everything in the UK is moving towards smaller low impact production and the only one good brand now won't be on the market!"

"Big isn’t always better! What a shame, 33 years in both the forestry and tree industries and I remember the old lads going on about how good a Gremo machine was!"

The good news is Gremo will be involved in the making of the new smaller forwarders, but there's no doubting an era of forestry will end when the 750F, 1050F and 1250F stop coming along the line.